1901 The Hackney Empire (Aug 2005)

Frank Matcham (22 November 1854, Newton Abbot, Devon – 17 May 1920, Southend-on-Sea, Essex) was a famous English theatrical architect. He is buried in Highgate Cemetery.

Early career[link]

Frank Matcham's father was a brewery clerk, and he was raised in Torquay, where he attended Babbacombe school. In 1868, he was apprenticed to a local surveyor and architect, George Sondon Bridgeman. He moved to London and joined the architectural practice of Jethro Robinson, consulting theatre architect to the Lord Chamberlain's office. In 1877 Matcham married Robinson's youngest daughter, Effie, and only a year later his father-in-law died and he found himself in charge of the practice, at the age of 24. Frank Matcham received no formal training as an architect, but learnt the practicalities on the job.^[1]

His first solo commission was to complete Robinson's designs of the Elephant and Castle theatre (opened June 1879).

Career[link]

Matcham and two architects he helped to train, Bertie Crewe and W.G.R. Sprague, were together responsible for the majority - certainly more than 200 - of the theatres and variety palaces of the great building boom which took place in Britain between about 1890 and 1915, peaking at the turn of the century.

The London Coliseum

Matcham himself designed: The interior of the Theatre Royal, Newcastle; Cheltenham Everyman Theatre (1891); the Blackpool Grand Theatre, the Wakefield Theatre Royal and Opera House and the Buxton Opera House (1894); the Royal Hall (Kursaal) in Harrogate (1903); and the Liverpool Olympia (1905). He also designed several famous London theatres: the Hackney Empire (1901); the London Coliseum (1904); the London Palladium (1910); the Victoria Palace (1911). Matcham is remembered in Northern Ireland for his design of the Grand Opera House (opened December 1895) on Great Victoria Street, Belfast. In Douglas, Isle of Man he designed the Gaiety Theatre, which survives to this day.

Matcham also designed theatres in Scotland: in Aberdeen, there were His Majesty's Theatre, built in 1904 to replace the Tivoli Theatre - the Tivoli was originally known as Her Majesty's Theatre, opened in 1872 to the designs of C.J. Phipps, and was subject to alterations by Matcham in 1897, followed by a complete interior rebuild by him in 1909. Both theatres still survive in Aberdeen, although the Tivoli is disused after a spell as a bingo hall. In Edinburgh, he designed the Empire Palace Theatre, opened in 1892, and he also rebuilt it after a fire in 1911. It was subsequently demolished and rebuilt in 1927/8, this time to the designs of Sunderland architects Milburn and Milburn. The theatre still stands today, having been refurbished, after a time as a bingo hall, as the Edinburgh Festival Theatre; it now incorporates a modern glass facade built in 1994. Matcham also designed the King's Theatre, Glasgow on Bath Street in 1904; this theatre is still in use. In Portsmouth the Kings Theatre and the New Theatre Royal are still active.

One unusual commission, built around 1900, is the three blocks in Briggate, Leeds, that are today known as the Victoria Quarter. Matcham's Empire Palace Theatre, which was the centre-piece of the design, was demolished in the 1960s and replaced with a Harvey Nichols store, but his surviving exteriors and the impressive County Arcade have been refurbished to a high standard.

Frank Matcham was among the pioneers in the use of steel cantilevers in his designs, and took out patents to protect his work. This allowed balconies to be built out into the theatre without the use of pillars supporting each tier. These had characterised the work of the previous generation of theatre architects. Without pillars, there were improved sight lines and, popular with theatre owners, an increased audience capacity.^[2]

Preserving the legacy[link]

The refurbished Hackney Empire built in 1901, retains the original structure, but adds modern facilities (Sept 2005)

By the outbreak of the First World War, no significant town was without its theatre, or music-hall, over 150 designed by Matcham. By 1982, however, it was estimated that 85% of the theatres that had lit up British towns and cities in 1914 had been lost - 35 of them, including 20 of Matcham's, in London alone. John Betjeman^[3] and Simon Jenkins had spoken up for such architects of Victorian and Edwardian parish churches as the Gilbert Scotts, JL Pearson and GE Street, but few had heard of theatre architects such as Matcham, Bertie Crewe, C.J. Phipps, W.G.R. Sprague and Walter Emden.

That gross neglect came to an end with one too many proposed ruthless destructions: the Granville Theatre in Walham Green, in 1971, where the Greater London Council stepped in to stop a developer. This incident attracted attention to the works of the 'theatre boom' architects and led to the protective listing of many other theatres of the period.^[4]

On 22 November 2007, Matcham was commemorated by actors Timothy West and Prunella Scales unveiling a blue plaque at the site of his London home, 10 Haslemere Road, Hornsey. English Heritage, who award the plaques, noted "His theatres are particularly notable for their exuberant interiors – he was quite prepared to mix architectural styles, from Tudor strapwork to rococo panels, military insignia to classical statuary. They also set new standards in providing good sightlines and high safety standards, with the inclusion of features such as fireproof construction, adequate emergency lighting and ready means of exit. Matcham’s work proved extremely popular with the public, and its opulence and flair continues to enthral audiences today."^[5]

Gallery of architectural work[link]

• 

  Blackpool Opera House (1889)

• 

  Grand Theatre, Blackpool (1894)

• 

  Grand Opera House, Belfast (1895)

• 

  Blackpool Tower Ballroom (1897-98)

• 

  County Arcade, Leeds (c.1900)

• 

  County Arcade, Leeds (c.1900)

• 

  County Arcade, Leeds (c.1900)

• 

  London Hippodrome (1900)

• 

  Gaiety Theatre, Douglas, Isle of Man (1900)

• 

  Buxton Opera House (1903)

• 

  Shepherd's Bush Empire (1903)

• 

  London Coliseum (1904)

• 

  The King' Theatre, Glasgow (1904)

• 

  The London Palladium (1910)

• 

  Victoria Palace Theatre, London (1911)

• 

  Bristol Hippodrome Auditorium (1912)

• 

  Bristol Hippodrome Auditorium Dome (1912)

References[link]

[edit] Bibliography

• Brian Walker (ed) Frank Matcham; Theatre Architect Belfast (1980)
• David Wilmore (ed) Frank Matcham & Co Dacre (2008)

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Frank Matcham

• Frank Matcham Society
• Theatres built by Frank Matcham
• Frank Matcham page

Oliver Tompsett
Born	(1981-08-25) 25 August 1981 (age 30) Abingdon, Oxford
Occupation	Actor and singer
Years active	2002 - current

Oliver Tompsett (born 25 August 1981) is a British stage actor and singer best known for his portrayal of Fiyero in the West End production of the musical Wicked.

Biography[link]

He trained at Arts Educational School, and during his final year he played: "Cinderella’s Prince" in Into the Woods; "Tommy" in The Who's Tommy and "Tony" in West Side Story.

Tompsett made his professional and West End debut in October 2002 in the Madness/Tim Firth musical Our House, directed by Matthew Warchus, at London’s Cambridge Theatre. He is featured on the DVD of the production, recorded for BBC3 in 2003, as the character Callum and as a member of the ensemble.

His subsequent London stage appearances include: Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ Mamma Mia!, directed by Phyllida Lloyd, at the Prince of Wales Theatre; Notes From New York at the Trafalgar Studios and Christmas In New York at the Apollo Theatre, both directed by David Randall; 'Caliph' in Kismet, directed by Tiffany Watt-Smith, at the Arcola Theatre and "Harry Lytton" in Richard Stirling’s Over My Shoulder: The Story of Jessie Matthews, directed by Stewart Nicholls, at Wyndhams Theatre.

Immediately prior to joining the original cast of Wicked, in September 2006, he appeared in Trevor Nunn’s production of Peter Shaffer’s The Royal Hunt of the Sun at the National Theatre. He has twice appeared on the Royal Variety Performance, in 2002 and 2006.

He recently finished playing the role of Fiyero in the West End musical Wicked, which opened September 27, 2006. He is a member of the original London cast having previously played in the ensemble and serving as the understudy for Fiyero, before replacing Adam Garcia on July 16, 2007. He played his final performance on March 27, 2010 after three and a half years with the production. He was succeeded by Lewis Bradley who played the role until May 2010, when Lee Mead took over.^[1]

Tompsett is currently originating the role of Drew in the West End production of Rock of Ages.^[2] For this role he was nominated for the whatsonstage.com Theatergoers Choice Award for Best Actor in a Musical.^[3]

It has been announced that Rock Of Ages run has been extended until March 2013. However Oliver will be leaving the show on September 23rd 2012 when his contract ends.

Recordings[link]

In 2008 he recorded a song for the CD Act One - Songs From The Musicals Of Alexander S. Bermange, an album of 20 new recordings by 26 West End stars, released in October 2008 on Dress Circle Records. He can be heard on the recent Alexander S. Bermange CD singing "More than a Memory" and more.

In late 2008 he released his debut album entitled "Sentimental Heart", with all of the songs written, performed and produced by Tompsett.

Tompsett also recorded the song 'We Are Not Alone' on Terry Pratchett's 'Only You Can Save Mankind', which was released on November 23, 2009.

In May 2010, Tompsett announced on his Official Twitter account that due to the success of his début album, he had signed a record deal with Major Record Label Warner Brothers.^[4] His second album will be released in 2011.^{[dated info][5]}

Stage work[link]

• Our House - Ensemble / Callum

Director: Matthew Warchus
Theatre: Cambridge Theatre, London
(Professional stage debut and West End debut)

• Mamma Mia!

Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Theatre: Prince of Wales Theatre, London

• Kismet

Director: Tiffany Watt-Smith
Theatre: Arcola Theatre, London

• Notes From New York

Director: David Randall
Theatre: Trafalgar Studios, London

• Cinderella

Director: Joyce Branagh
Theatre: Palace Theatre, Watford

• Christmas In New York

Director: David Randall
Theatre: Apollo Theatre, London

• Over My Shoulder

Director: Stewart Nicholls
Theatre: Wyndham’s Theatre, London

• The Royal Hunt of the Sun

Director: Trevor Nunn
Theatre: National Theatre, London

• Wicked - Fiyero

Director: Joe Mantello
Theatre: Apollo Victoria Theatre, London
Duration: 3.5 years

• Rock of Ages - Drew

Director: Kristin Hanggi
Theatre: Shaftesbury Theatre, London

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official MySpace Account